People react to contraceptive compromise

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Hours after President Obama announced that religious institutions would no longer be required to provide contraceptives to its employees, ABC 57 met up with a representative of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend to see what people think about the contraceptive compromise.

Fred Everett is an assistant to the bishop and said he feels this is a step in the right direct, but it’s going to be a long road until this controversial debate is over.

Everett said there are still a lot of unanswered questions after Friday’s announcement.

“He didn’t really address about those organization, like our own diocese for example, that self insure. So we don’t go to a third party insurer, but we insure our own employees because we’re a large enough organization to do so. He didn’t really address that situation at all,” said Everett.

He said he also wonders who will actually be paying for the contraceptives because after all nothing is free.

“Will the government be subsidizing the insurance programs, or rather the people who are paying into the insurance program be actually subsidizing these services any way,” said Everett.

Everett said more clarification will be needed moving forward.

“The president and the administration are trying to address this, that’s a positive thing. The real question is whether it goes far enough, and as you know, the devil is often in the details,” said Everett.